


as the lights go down

by astere (sumaru)



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 04:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17698037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sumaru/pseuds/astere
Summary: Nepeta had once said she’d follow her to the dark side of the moon. And she did.





	as the lights go down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [captainellie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainellie/gifts).



 

 

 

It was only during Captain Salvia’s third tour off-planet that she finally met someone from Varunus.

Kinda.

Earth has been at war with her colonies for generations. Trying to untangle the logic of why humans and varuna have been fucking each other up for more than a galactic lifetime seems almost pointless — the varuna were _literally_ cold-blooded brutes. Unreliable allies and partners. Just a bunch of testy, foul-mouthed weirdos.

These are also the things Salvia tells her squadron about the varuna right before they land full tilt into a conflict zone:

Their reptilian scales gleam like the scatter of hydrogen emeralds under Sagittarius Alpha's sea. 

Their blunt yellow claws could tear even the hull of a starfighter in half.

They were as emotionally dense and as dumb as _shit_.

"Say that to my fucking face, Captain!"

"I— I’m quite sure I just _did._ ”

Nepeta is at it _again_. Big, dumb, half-varuna Sargeant Nepeta whose impossibly thick thighs root her and her big, dumb, half-assed ideas right there to the smooth white floor of Salvia’s officer’s quarters. Big, _stupid_ , _stupid big_ , broad-shouldered Nepeta with the lush green scales that only clumsily freckles her pebble grey skin rather than armour it completely. Frustration twists Salvia’s hands restless— this close, she can smell the strangely bittersweet char rising from Nepeta’s skin. Laser fire might bounce off half-varuna mirror scales, but it boils half-human flesh all too readily.

"I'm not letting you lead the charge again," Nepeta growls, teeth snapping, and Salvia feels them prickle against her throat. Cool teeth, hot tongue, even hotter breath panting loud and harsh, and Salvia’s chest heaves with the heady flurry of it. But Nepeta’s hands are fluttering awkwardly over Salvia's hip — _finally_ scared? This fool? But no, half-varuna claws curl in so the knuckles brush gently against the fresh stitches up Salvia’s side instead, the touch so light against the too sensitive new skin. 

It’s only been a few days since they had barely escaped that dawn ambush. Salvia had been on the ground, the only one with the intel to take out the enemy’s orbital support. Why was she the only one to ever keep a clear head about this?

The smell of bittersweet char turns wanting and green with the brine of the sea — _ah, this thing about the varuna._ Salvia’s palms twitch, her thoughts swirling wet and exhilarating and she feels all the judgement in her slip just a little. Her heart thunders. But her true heart thunders just as loud.

"Too fucking bad! A captain goes where her squadron goes!" Salvia’s chest tightens. She will not let this slide.

"Then how am I supposed to protect you!”

Half-varuna claws uncurl. Nepeta looks— a wild animal. Caged by the want of her feelings, and Salvia just wants to _touch_. She knows varuna scales are warm silk under the fingers, and she swallows, resists the urge to trail their green path; takes the clawed hand in hers, instead.

“You _idiot_. You’ve always been there by my side. Even when they called you traitor.”

Every feeling simmers down. Salvia had only been saved by her half-varuna shield, broad shoulders drawing inhuman amounts of fire, deadly laser refracting off deep green scales like a thousand mirrors as claws tore oncoming enemies limb from limb. The screams still rattle deep inside Salvia’s chest — they had said war was mathematical, that their exo-suits would ensure a clean conflict. But even half-varuna strength was enough to grind bone to dust, crush a body to meat into the ground of a planet made of diamonds.

The sparkling sands had bloomed red that morning, the white blossom of Captain Salvia rooted deep in the deadly victory that her shield had secured her.

“Well.” Nepeta blushes? _Blushes_. It’s a pale mint flush on pebble grey cheeks. Salvia shakes her head, dazed. “You know. You— you’re the only home I’ve ever known.”

“Of course I know!”

Nepeta had once said she’d follow her to the dark side of the moon. And she did.

Breath hisses through Salvia’s teeth as Nepeta finally presses in, _finally,_ cups one of Salvia’s small breasts and— _oh_. Her palm is rough, the scales more like leather, and an angry whine sputters from Salvia’s throat. It’s all happening so quickly it’s like another ambush entirely, Salvia’s back the one hitting the wall, the long line of her legs an elegant marble arch, shielded once more by the slope of broad shoulders.

“I know you’ll always follow,” Salvia breathes desperately, licking the salt out of of Nepeta’s mouth, and thinks this too, was the taste of home.

 

 

 


End file.
